or “ Will you look after our casks of Brandy till we return?”

On a fine morning in 1821, the cutter ‘Shark’, out of LeHarve, made landfall off Tuskar Rock Lighthouse, seven miles from Wexford, about 3 a.m. The skipper intended running up to Wexford Port, but, seeing Coastguard and Customs Officials in a launch patrollong the entrance to the channel, he ‘wore’ the ‘Shark’ into the ‘cothole’ on the Rock and landed, in the half light, according to his unofficial manifest, “a large cask and several smaller kegs of French brandy, 40 pounds of sperm candles, a tin box of playing cards, and several other excisable commodities.”

He explained his predicament to the two Lighthouse keepers, Michael Wisheart and Charles Hunter, ‘buying’ their confidence and collusion by promising them “a present”. On his return to claim the goods, if they were untouched. He then sailed up to Wexford, was overhauled by the Coastguard and Customs Officers, and searched. Nothing was found.

The ‘Shark’ lay – up in Wexford for a few days, during which time the skipper made plans to return to the Tusker Rock. He had a whaleboat on land at Ballytrent ready to make the run to the Rock One of his men kept a look-out for patrolling Coastguards. Leaving Ballytrent the smuggler was surprises to find no light on Tusker. On reaching the Rock he entered the tower where he found the two Lightkeepers; “Hunter dead drunk on his back, and Wisheart in the same state on his side.” They had ‘tapped the Admiral’ – broached the brandy cask – and had, to judge from the level remaining, been imbibing heavily. The smuggler left them to their slumbers and ran what remained of his cargo to Ballytrent. By an extraordinary coincidence, that very night, a wild, wet night, King George IV, aboard the Royal Yacht, in convoy with some ships of the Fleet, was en route to Kingstown. When they failed to find the Tuskar light, they were very perplexed and ran for shelter to Milford Haven.

An immediate examination was ordered into the affair, and, on 23rd.October 1821, the following resolution was made at a meeting of the Corporation in the Ballast Office, Dublin.

“An examination having taken place into the conduct of Michael Wisheart and Charles Hunter, relative to a Smuggling transaction at the Tuskar Lighthouse, it was resolved that; In consequence of the inattention of Michael Wisheart to his charge at the Tuskar Lighthouse, a quantity of contraband goods were deposited on the Rock, and of which he neglected to acquaint the Officers of the Board, to remove him from the situation of First Light-keeper, and that he be placed as second in some other lighthouse. It was also resolved that; Charles Hunter (Assistant Light-keeper at Tuskar), having permitted the landing of these goods, that he be removed from the situation of a light-keeper; and that he may hereafter be employed as a working blacksmith (from which employment he had been taken into the Lighthouse Service).”

Charles Hunter returned to work, as a blacksmith, and gave many years of loyal service there. Alas, poor Wisheart Was sent to the Skellig’s Rock, a place that was inhospitable and difficult of access. For a while his main off-duty occupation seemed to be ensuring that his cow had enough grass from the wind-swept rock. Cutting grass one day, near the cliff’s edge, he fell over and was killed. So ended this tragic-comic episode. What if the Royal Yacht had run aground on the this dangerous coast ? (1)